Sargy Mann
The opening minutes of Peter Mann’s wonderful 2006 film about his late father, the artist Sargy Mann, are something of an emotional rollercoaster. Opening on a black screen, we hear a recording of Sargy’s gentle, otherworldly voice confirm that it is 30 May 2005 and today marks “the end of vision”. His eyesight had been deteriorating for more than 30 years, following cataracts and retinal detachments, and he had awoken to experience total blindness for the very first time. “I presume I won’t be painting any more pictures,” he says, seemingly in a state of shock.
“Although I am totally blind now, I just see the canvas changing colour when I put the pigment down on it”
Before one can even begin to contemplate the sheer injustice of an artist being
